Conveyer mechanism



T. J. BAILEY' CONVEYER MECHANISM Jan. 27, 1953 Filed April 6, 1949 4Sheets-Sheet l o e o o o o, o o o o o a o o f n e o Q /fM//w/u y wm e1v, 0 w W f m p u A I|H|I N y I 1 l 1 ,m M M h M w w U lll: M w\ 0d @N Mi a Jan. 27, 1953 Y, T. ,.1. BAILEY 2,626,699

COWEYER MECHANISM Filed April s, 1949 4 sheds-sheet 2 him.

IIIHIHL 11W WNW Imihmm.

nhlllmm'li [22062220292- eadazfe f 6 2 Jan. 27, 1953 T. .1.- BAlLEY2,626,699

coNvEYER MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 "WNW f3 2@ sAIW"Il" www 5 4. ne h6- Jan. 27, 1953 T. J. BAILEY CONVEYER MECHANISM 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1949 Emp.:

Patented Jan. 27, 1953` CONVEYER MECHANISM Theodore J. Bailey, Reno,Pa., assigner to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application April 6, 1949, Serial No. 85,857

Claims.

This invention relates to mining apparatus and more particularly toconveyor mechanism especially designed for use with a disintegrating andloading machine of the type known as a continuous miner.

In a continuous miner of the same general type as that disclosed in acopending application to John R. Sibley, Ser. No. 102,996, led July 5,1949, a mobile base adapted to travel over the door of a mine, carries aswivelled frame mounted to swing horizontally relative to the base andon which a sliding support is guided for rectilinear movement in adirection radially with respect to the swivel axis. A swingable frame orbar structure is pivotally mounted on the sliding support and carries avein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism which embodies a series ofparallel disintegrating chains movable in vertical orbital paths alongguideways supported by the swingable frame structure. A primary conveyorcarried by the sliding support and extending beneath the rearwardportion of the attacking and disin tegrating mechanism, receives thedisintegrated material discharged from the attacking and disintegratingmechanism, and this conveyor dischanges into a hopper mounted in astationary position on the base in a generally coaxial relation with theframe-swivel. A rear discharge conveyor on the base has its receivingend extending downwardly into the hopper beneath the rear discharge endof the primary conveyor, for removing the material from the hopper andfor conveying the material rearwardly of the base to a suitable point ofdelivery. The rear discharge end of the primary conveyor overlies and.discharges into the hopper irrespective of the swivelled andrectilinear positions of the attack'- ing and disintegrating mechanismrelative to the base. It has been found in such machines when theattacking and disintegrating mechanism is in certain positions ofangular and rectilinear adjustment with respect to the hopper some ofthe material being discharged from the primaryV conveyor is thrownbeyond the lateral limits of the hopper resulting in substantialspillage and the need of considerable hand shoveling. The presentinvention contemplates improvements over such known type of continuousminer in that means is provided, effective in all angular andrectilinear positions of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism withrespect to the base, for directing the material being discharged fromthe primary conveyor downwardly into the hopper and onto the receivingend of the rear discharge conveyor, so that spillage of material 2beyond'the sides of the hopper is substantially avoided. in accordancewith the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, side deiiectorplates or so-called wings are pivotally connected to the rear end of thesliding support at the opposite sides of the rear discharge end of theprimary conveyor to swing horizontally and extend rearwardly between theupright side portions of the rear discharge conveyor and are yieldinglyheld, as by springs, in sliding and pivotal contact with the innersurfaces of the upright side portions oi the rear conveyor and so extendwith respect to the hopper that the material being discharged from theprimary conveyor is efectively directed downwardly into the hopper andonto the receiving end of the discharge conveyor. Since the deflectorplates or wings are so arranged and are so connected to the slidingsupport, spillage of material is substantially prevented in allpositions of angular and rectilinear movements of the attacking anddisintegrating mechanism with respect to the base.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to providean improved conveyor mechanism for a mining apparatus, wherebysubstantial spillage of material during the loading operation issubstantially avoided. Another ob-y ject is to provide, in a conveyormechanism which discharges into a hopper, improved deector means forpreventing spillage of material as it is discharged from the conveyor,laterally beyondv the sides of the hopper. A further object is toprovide an improved deflector means of the above character wherein saiddelector plates or wings are arranged at the sides of the discharge endof the conveyor and so overlie the hopper that the material dischargedfrom the conveyor is effectively directed downwardly into the hopper.Yet another object is to provide an improved conveyor mechanism whereina primary conveyor discharges into a hopper and a rear dischargeconveyor removes the material from the hopper,l and having improvedmeans cooperating with and extending between the conveyors above thehopper, for directing the material discharged from the primary conveyorinto the hopper and onto the receiving end of the rear dischargeconveyor.

Y A still further object is to provide, in a conend of the primaryconveyor to swing horizontally and engaging at their rearward ends theinner surfaces of the side walls of the rear conveyor` and yieldinglyheld in contact with such inner surfaces so that irrespective of therectilinear and angular positions of the primary conveyor with respectto the hopper, the material being discharged from the primary conveyoris always directed downwardly toward the hopper and the receiving end ofthe rear conveyor. Still another object is to provide an improvedconveyor mechanism comprising conveyor sections having relative angularand rectilinear movements, and each provided with side plates, and meansintervening said conveyor sections for directing the material beingconveyed from one to the otherincluding side deflector members pivotallymounted on upright axes at the sides of one conveyor section andslidingly and pivotally engaging the side plates of the other conveyorsection and embodying means for yieldingly urging said de-l flectormembers apart into contact with said side plates. A further object is toprovide in a conveyor mechanism of the above character an improveddeflector wing structure wherein the deflector wingsr project rearwardlybetween the side plates of the rear conveyor and are yieldingly held asby springs in sliding and pivotal contact with the inner surfaces of theconveyor side plates. These and other objects and advantages of theinvention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figs. 1 and 1d, taken together, constitute a plan view of a continuousminer in which an illustrative form of the invention is embodied.

Figs. 2 and 2a, taken together, constitute a side elevational View ofthe continuous miner shown in Figs. 1 and la,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the conveyor mechanismwith which the invention is associated.V

Fig. l` is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially on line A of Fig. 1, showing one of the improved sidedeflector wings and its manner of cooperation with the primary and rearconveyors.

Fig. 5 is a detail. cross. sectional View taken. Qn line, 5v5 of Fig.4.y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view, similar to Fig. 3, showing theprimary conveyor in one extreme angular and forward rectilinear positionwith respect to the rear conveyor, showing the relation of the sidedeflector wings with respect to. the hopper.

The continuous miner disclosed herein in which the improved conveyormechanism is embodied, as mentioned above, is generally like thatdisclosed in the copending Sibley application Ser. No. 47,422Y andgenerally comprises a mobile base l having a frame 2 on which isswivelled at 3 onv an upright axis to swing horizontally relativethereto, a horizontal frame 4. The swivelled frame 4 has a horizontalportion 5 projecting outwardly beyond the base, and guided on thishorizontal portion is a sliding support 6 which is movable rectilinearlyrelative to the frame in a direction radially with respect to the swivelaxis 3. A swingable frame or bar structure 1 is pivotally mounted on ahorizontal transverse axis at 8 on the sliding support 6 to swing invertical planesv with respect thereto andto swing horizontally with theswivelled frame 4 with respect to the base. The vertically swingableframe structure 'l extends outwardly beyond the base and carries a minevein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 for detaching anddisintegrating the coal or other mineral in relatively wide verticalsegments from a solid coal seam or mine vein. The attacking anddisintegrating mechanism comprises a series of parallel disintegratingchains i carrying disintegrating instruments or bits i l and guided forcirculation in vertical orbits about guideways on the frame structure l.Arranged generally coaxially with the swivel axis 3 is a stationaryhopper l2 rigidly secured to the base frame and projecting a substantialdistance above the top of the base in thc manner shown in Fig. 2, and aprimary front conveyor I3 is carried by the sliding support 5 with itsforward portion underlying the rearward portion of the attacking anddisintegrating mechanism 9. As the attacking and disintegratingmechanism dislodges and disintegrates the coal or other mineral the topruns of the disintegrating chains IS move the disintegrated materialrearwardly along the top of the attacking and disintegrating mechanismto discharge onto the primary conveyor i3 and the latter moves thematerial thereon rearwardly to discharge into the hopper I2. A reardischarge conveyor lil car-l ried by the base frame has its frontreceiving end extending downwardly into the hopper as shown in Fig. 4and this conveyor moves the material from the hopper and conveys itrearwardly of the base to a suitable point of delivery. The conveyors i3and iii are of the conventional endless cross flight type and act tomove thev material over the top plates of the conveyor frames, and arefully disclosed in the copending application above referred to. Sincethe construction of the continuous miner above described is generallyfully disclosed in the copending application above referred to furtherdescription thereof is herein unnecessary.

During the dislodging and disintegrating operation, in a manner alsofully disclosed in the above mentioned copending application, theveinattacking and disintegrating mechanism 9, as the disintegratingchains lil are rapidly circulated in their orbits, may be swungdownwardly by power devices about the pivot 8 relative to the swivelledframe i to locate. the outer tip, end of the attacking anddisintegrating mechanism near the mine oor, and the slidingI support Emay then be moved by power devices rectilinearly outwardly relative tothe swivelled frame to sump the outer portion of the attacking and dis,-integrating mechanism into the solid coal seam or mine vein. When theouter portion of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism is in sumpedposition the swingable frame structure l may be swung upwardly about itspivot 6v by power devices at a relatively high speed and with a powerfulupward thrust to effect dislodgment and disintegration of a relativelywide vertical segment of the coal seam or mine. vein between the top ofthe attacking and disintegrating mech-- anism and the mine roof. Whenthe attacking and disintegrating mechanism reaches the limit of itsupward swinging movement at the mine roof, the sliding support S may beretracted by its power devices relative to the swivelledv frame 4 towithdraw the other portion of the attacking and disintegrating mechanismfrom the coal seam or mine vein. The dislodged and disintegratedmaterial is moved rearwardly by the top runs of the disintegratingchains and is discharged onto the primary conveyor I3 and the latterdischarges the disintegrated material into the hopper I2, and the reardischarge conveyor I4 moves the disintegrated material from the hopperand conveys it rearwardly of the base to a suitable point of delivery.

When the attacking and disintegrating mechanism is in its retractedposition on the swivel frame, the latter may be turned by power devicesin a horizontal direction about its swivel axis relative to the base tolocate the attacking and disintegrating mechanism in new positions ofattack with respect to the working face, and by repeated sumping,swinging and withdrawing movements of the attacking and disintegratingmechanism, successive segments of coal or other mineral may be detachedand disintegrated until the coal or -other mineral for the entire widthof the working face is removed. The hopper I2 is so arranged withrespect to the primary conveyor and the primary conveyor itself is soconstructed and arranged that the disintegrated material received fromthe attacking and disintegrating mechanism is discharged into the hopperirrespective of the angular and rectilinear positions of the attackingand disintegrating mechanism withrrespect thereto.

Now referring to the improved means for preventing substantial spillageof disintegrated material as it is discharged by the primary conveyorinto the hopper in the different angular and rectilinear positions ofthe attacking and disintegrating mechanism, it will be noted thatarranged above the hopper I2 are upright side retainer plates ordeiiector wings If, I6 which are pivoted at Il on vertical axes to swinghorizontally on rearward projections I8 of vertical side frames I9 ofthe primary conveyor I3. The deflector wings are of substantial heightat their forward portions 20 as shown in Fig. 4 and narrow downwardlyand rearwardly so that rearward portions 2I of relatively low height areprovided. These rearward Aportions extend rearwardly between verticalside frames 22 of the rear conveyor I 4 (Fig. 5) and slidingly andpivotally engage the inner surfaces 23 of these side frames. Therearward ends of the wings are slightly bent horizontally inwardly at 24so in certain positions thereof they may ride freely over the surfaceswith which they contact. Coil springs 25 are connected between the outersides of the wings and rear end of the sliding support 6, as shown inFig. 3, for constantly urging the Wings apart into yielding contact withthe side frame surfaces 23. As the attackingl and disintegratingmechanism swings about the swivel axis 3 relative to the base and movesrectilinearly with the sliding support 6 relative to the swivel frame,the deflector wings I6, while yieldingly held in contact with thesurfaces 23 by the coil springs, pivot relative to and slide over theside surfaces 23, from the position I shown in Fig. 3 to the extremeposition shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5 the lower edges of thedeflect-or wings I6 extend a substantial distance below the tops of theconveyor plates 22 with the top edges of the wings disposed a shortdistance above the top edges of the conveyor plates. It will thus beseen that irrespective of the angular and rectilinear positions of theprimary conveyor with respect to the hopper the deflector plates orwings direct the disintegrated material discharged from the primaryconveyor downwardly into the hopper I2 and onto the front receiving endof the rear discharge conveyor. It will be evident that in all positionsof the defiector plates, there is sufficient space therebetween for thepassage ofV material between the plates to the hopper and rear conveyor.

As a result of this invention an improved mining apparatus is providedhaving improved conveyor mechanism whereby substantial spillage of thematerial being conveyed is substantially avoided. It will further beevident that by provision of the deflector wings arranged between therelatively swingable and rectilinearly movable conveyor sections thematerial discharged from one conveyor section onto the other isprevented from substantial spillage. By arranging the deflector wings inthe manner disclosed above the hopper and by pivotally connecting thewings to the sliding conveyor section with the rearward portions of thewings yieldingly held in sliding and pivotal contact with the sideframes of the other conveyor section, the material discharged from oneconveyor is effectively directed into the hopper without substantialspillage irrespective of the relative positions of the conveyorsections. The improved deflector structure is simple and rugged indesign and may be readily applied to a mining apparatus of conventionalconstruction with a minimum of change. Other advantages of the inventionwill be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms WithoutVdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A conveyor mechanism comprising, in combination, a front conveyormounted to swing horizontally about a vertical axis and to moverectilinearly in a direction radially of said axis, a hopper mountedbeneath the discharge end of said front conveyor Iand relative to whichsaid front conveyor hashorizontal swinging and rectilinear movements asaforesaid, said hopper having a circular frame provided with spacedvertical rearward side frame portions, said front conveyor having spacedvertical side frames at their rear ends overlying said hopper, a. rearconveyor extending forwardly between said vertical side frame portionsof said hopper frame with its receiving end terminating within saidhopper for removing the material discharged into said hopper from saidfront conveyor rearwardly from Said hopper, upright deflector wingspivotally connected at their front ends to the rear ends of said sideframes of said front conveyor to swing horizontally about parallelvertical axes and extending rearwardly above said hopper between thevertical sides of said conveyor and hopper frames for directing thematerial discharged from said front conveyor downwardly into said hopperirrespective of the horizontally swiveled or the rectilinear position ofsaid front conveyor relative to said hopper, said deflector wings havingrearward portions extending between and guided by said rearward sideframe portions of said hopper frame above said rear conveyor, and meansfor yieldingly urging said rearward portions of said dei-lector wingsinto guided contact with the inner walls of said rearward side frameportions of said hopper frame, said deector wings engaging said innerwalls amarga in the` different; angular; ypositions of; saidY frontconveyor about said vertical axis, said wings also, moving bodily withsaid front conveyor` and slide ingly engaging said inner walls duringsaid recti linear movement of said front conveyor relative to. said.hopper.

2. A conveyor mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rearwardportions of said deilector wings extend downwardly below the bottoms` ofthe forward portions of said wings and below the. top of said hopperframev whereby said forward wing portions may move, horizontally abovesaid hopper during horizontal swinging of said front conveyor while saidrearward portions of said wings remain in guided contact with said innerwalls.

3.y A conveyor Ymechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said yieldingurging means for said wings act to swing said wings apart and comprisessprings connected at their forward ends to the frame of said frontconveyorv at points spaced outwardly from the sides of said frontconveyor and at their rearward ends to said wings at points located nearthe middle portions of the outer sides of said wings and above thebottoms of said forward portions of said wings and above the top of saidhopper frame.

4. A conveyor mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frontportions of said inner walls of said rearward frame portions areoutwardly curved where they join onto said circular hopper frame withthe inner surfaces thereof convex horizontally about a vertical axis andhaving a` horizontal rear discharge end, said front cori- 8f veyorhaving a troughlikeframe including spaced vertical sides projectingrearwardly beyond Said dischargev end, a rear conveyor having ahonizontal forward receiving end underlying said dis charge end of saidfront conveyor and having a, troughlike, frame including spaced verticalsides, said front conveyor mounted for horizontal4 rec-l tilinearmovement relative to said rear conveyor in a direction radially of saidvertical axis, said discharge end of said front conveyor overlying thereceiving end of said rear conveyor in all positions of rectilinearmovement thereof, and upright, deector wings lextending between saidvertical sides of said conveyor frames for directing the materialdischarged from said front` conveyor downwardly toward the receiving endofr said rear conveyor in all s wivelled positionsv of, said frontconveyor,. said wingsv being pivotally connected at their front ends tothe rear ends of said vertical sides of said front conveyor frameA toswing horizontally about parallel vertical axes above the receiving endof said rear conveyor; said wings having downwardly extending rearportions extending between said spaced vertical sides of said rea-rconveyor frame and engaging and guided by said inner walls above saidrear conveyor, said rear Wing portions slidingly en-v gaging said innerwalls of said rear conveyor frame during such rectilinear movement, Iandyieldable means forl urging said wings apart into` guided engagementwith said inner walls.

THEODORE J.. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in theV le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date 1,128,880 Jamison Feb. 1 6, 19151,762,060 Jones June 3, 1930 2,047,589 Levin July 14, 1936 2,353,051Levin July 4, 1944- 2,381,108 Cartlidge Aug. 7, 1945 2,437,629v WhaleyMar. 9, 1948

